Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister (pronounced: JOH-sef LIS-ter) was a British surgeon and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery. He is known for introducing the antiseptic technique in surgery, which greatly reduced the mortality rate from post-operative infections.
Etymology
The name "Joseph" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "he will add". The surname "Lister" is of English origin and is an occupational name for a dyer or someone who works with cloth.
Early Life and Education
Joseph Lister was born on April 5, 1827, in Upton, Essex, England. He was the second of three children of Joseph Jackson Lister, a wine merchant and amateur scientist, and his wife, Isabella Harris. Lister received his early education at home from his father, who instilled in him a love for natural science.
Lister went on to study medicine at the University College London, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1852. He then pursued further studies in surgery and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1852.
Career and Contributions
In 1861, Lister became a professor of surgery at the University of Glasgow. It was here that he began his research into the causes of surgical infection. He was influenced by the work of Louis Pasteur, who demonstrated that microorganisms cause fermentation and disease.
Lister introduced the use of carbolic acid (now known as phenol) as an antiseptic, which he used to clean wounds and surgical instruments. This practice greatly reduced the incidence of gangrene and other post-operative infections, leading to a significant decrease in patient mortality.
In 1869, Lister returned to London to take up the post of Professor of Clinical Surgery at King's College Hospital. He continued to advocate for the use of antiseptic techniques in surgery, which eventually became widely accepted in the medical community.
Related Terms
- Antiseptic: A substance that inhibits the growth and reproduction of disease-causing microorganisms.
- Phenol: A type of chemical compound often used as an antiseptic.
- Gangrene: A type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply, often resulting from an infection.
- Louis Pasteur: A French biologist and chemist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Joseph Lister
- Wikipedia's article - Joseph Lister
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